


Differences

by Im_The_Doctor (Bofur1)



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Brother Feels, Double Drabble, Gen, Growing Up, Introspection, Kid Fluff - Freeform, Past Sibling Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2013-11-01
Packaged: 2017-12-31 05:11:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1027622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Im_The_Doctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he was a little boy, Don never doubted that Charlie was just like him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Differences

At five years old, Don didn’t realize that his baby brother was different. He would kneel on the floor in front of Charlie, squint into the innocent face, then look up delightedly at his mother and exclaim, “He’s got my eyes, Mom! He’s just like me!”

Margaret Eppes would smile with enthusiasm, even though little Donny had informed her of this many times. “Isn’t that something? I’d never noticed!”

Then the Eppes brothers started growing up, and Don began to see fewer similarities. By the time Charlie reached five years, he and Don had a homework system. If Don helped him with his spelling sheets, Charlie picked up his fat red Crayola marker to correct Don’s math.

There were times Don hated Charlie’s brilliance. When angry enough Don battled mind with muscle, hitting or shoving Charlie into something. Charlie always forgave him. Still, Don could never shake the sting of insignificance whenever someone praised Charlie’s accomplishments and overlooked his.

Even now Don occasionally gets that invidious prickle as Charlie addresses his FBI team. He and Charlie are nothing alike! Then Don forces himself to stop, because there’s that _one_ comforting thing that he and his brother share:

Charlie’s got his eyes.


End file.
